Steamed Sweet Potato and Coconut Custards

Cook the kumara in boiling salted water until tender. Drain well and tip back into the saucepan. Place back over a low heat to drive off excess moisture and mash until very smooth. Cool.

Whisk the eggs, coconut milk, palm sugar and vanilla in a large bowl, ensuring there are no lumps of palm sugar in the mixture. Stir in the coconut and cooled kumara and combine well.

Divide the custard between the ramekins, filling them to 1 cm from the top. Cover each one with aluminium foil and set in a steamer basket, over a wok or saucepan of boiling water. Steam for 30 minutes or until the custard has just set. Remove the foil and cool.

To serve: Place the custards on serving plates and top with a spoonful of coconut cream and toasted coconut. Serve with a selection of fresh fruit. 

Pantry Note:
Palm sugar: (also known as Gur, Jaggery, Gula Melaka) is derived from several different palm trees including the palmyra and coconut palms. The sap of the palm is boiled down and the result can be either similar to a thick honey, a soft paste or a hard cake which is then grated, shaved, pounded or ground in a food processor. These cakes come in different shapes and sizes and the colour can vary from pale to dark. The flavour is quite caramelly and can be substituted with equal parts of brown sugar and maple syrup. Available from Asian supermarkets.